What originally struck me as so fantastic (and still does) is that the D'aulaires don't write down to their audience or edit out details important to the original myth that some parents might not approve of. The end result? An all ages storybook and mythological primer that no one should be ashamed to own.

The drawings are an acquired taste, falling somewhere between Classical pottery paintings and Art Deco, but they do grow on you. My only quibble is that there's no pronunciation guide, which can really hamper you if this is your first exposure to these stories.

Buy this for for your children or even for yourself, you will never regret it.

What made me fall in love the book was the beautiful, large colorful pictures; the easy introduction of the many Gods (to a child with no background in the stories); and, of course, the myths themselves. They were wonderful stories and will pull in readers of all ages.

The book inspired me to read more books on Greek mythology--Edith Hamilton, for instance--and Norse myths (the D'Aularies wrote a book on Norse gods that is unfortunately still out of print) and Asian folktakes when I was still in grade school. In college, however, I learned that these myths in this book had gone through a bit of sanitization, but it is still terrific. I haven't found another chilren's book that treats Greek mythology so well.

This book is one that will keep giving even when the child becomes an adult. When I went to college and was assigned other Greek and Roman poems, plays, and essays, I would be reminded the pictures and the myths found in this book. It would bring back wonderful memories, and at the same time made reading ancient literature enjoyable and easy rather than onerous. To this day, I still remember all of the myths and gods that are in this book, and it gives me a nice referemce to my academic reading.

My parents recently bought the hardcopy edition of the book for me for Christmas. It was the best gift I have received in years!

It is simply a wonderful book!

Poitier's prose is very much like a friend having a discussion with you over a cup of coffee -- more like a conversation with an intimate friend, rather than just a written record of his life and career. There is much wisdom here -- from his early beginnings on a small island in the Bahamas, he learned quite a bit about life and living. He has carried this knowledge throughout his life, and he now shares it with us.

It's hard to know a person just from the movies he makes. Mr. Poitier's body of work speaks volumes -- and so does this excellent book.

I read Poitier's latest autobiography in one sitting. I was as enchanted with his real life story as I have been by the characters he's played on film and the stage.

It's a cliche, to be sure, but Poitier's parents gave him a great gift: roots and wings. As a child growing up on Cat Island, in the Bahamas, he gained the self-confidence and security he would have to call upon time and again during his adult life. He never strayed too far from the values he learned so early on, and even though he livesin a world very far removed from the one he was born into, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

I enjoyed the book and will probably read it again. Thank you, Mr. Poitier, for your grace, strength,incredible talent, and for sharing your life with us.

Enjoy!